My first venture in dyeing!

Well, unplanned at the beginning of the day, this marks my venture into the world of dyeing (apart from past Girl Scout Tye-dying).
Being a usual college student, I am constantly trying to figure out ways to live on the cheap.  So when my mom suggested buying new towels because mine were grungy/bleached looking (they ARE clean by the way, just have developed a slight grey tint....on previously white towels), I rebelled!

But not immediately.

First I came back to Boston, moved into my new place, unpacked, cleaned, organized, and found packets of half used RIT dye!  Now, from the brief research I just did on dyeing, I've learned that RIT is considered quite the inferior dye.  But, it's here, it's free, I know (in general) how to use it, and Marisa on www.newdressaday.com uses it!  So how bad could it be?

Anyway, I luckily learned that I probably should be a good roommate and not use our bathtub for this adventure, so instead I went on a hunt for an appropriate vessel.  Our sink seems to be missing it's plug, so that was out, and the bathroom sinks are porcelain, a big no-no.  So, I did what any other college kid around move-out day would do, I went to the trash room!

Now you may be thinking, "ummmm, WTF, who does that??"  But you should know that the trash room can be a wonderland around move-out time.   Just 2 days ago I got a perfectly good plastic, 3-drawer chest.  Complete with textbooks in the drawer, one of which I just sold for $20.  So yes, I <3 the trash room.

And it didn't fail me today!  I got a giant plastic drawer, relatively clean, which is now my dye tub.  I also utilized a plastic pitcher that belongs to my roommate's friend, a metal spoonula found in the kitchen, dish washing gloves and a metal bowl also unearthed in the kitchen!  And so the dyeing began.

I loosely based my process on RIT's own suggestions.  Since I had about 3 half used packs (blue, purple and orange), I used the blue and purple, and threw in some of the soda ash I also found for good measure.  One site said RIT doesn't work with soda ash, but since I couldn't stop it from bleeding I decided it couldn't hurt.

This was a VERY water intensive process, which made me quite sad, but since I haven't showered yet today, we'll call it even for now.  After a good hour of soaking, stirring, rinsing, rinsing, rinsing...and then washing, I THINK that the 2 hand towels and 2 shirts I did might be complete.  They are now laying out to dry, and my work looks pretty good for now!

EDIT:

Just had to share.  Look at this beauty!